Poster in Jan 23, 2023 15:42:13

Plans for a new £100m extension to the Royal Agricultural University (RAU) have been revealed

Plans for a new £100m extension to the Royal Agricultural University (RAU) have been revealed

Photo: Collected

Cirencester's Innovation Village will house food producers, farmers, and research projects on a 29-acre site. They will look at issues such as climate change and biodiversity. The RAU's vice chancellor, Professor Peter McCaffery, said it will be a "first in the UK".

"We want to establish a global center for the world of land and food."

"The challenge facing farmers is 'how do we enhance productivity and keep healthy soil with climate change?

"We want people at the cutting edge of research to join us," Prof McCaffery said.

The site will comprise a number of areas including a Research and Innovation Center, live and work residential units, business start-up, and support spaces, and business conference spaces. Associate Professor of Agriculture, Dr. Nicky Cannon, said it was an "exciting" development that could help food production in the future.

"Farmers need new crops, if we have crops that grow well which we use heavily in our diets, we won't rely on imports in a climate crisis," he said.

James Bolesworth already runs his business, CRM AgriCommodities, from the existing RAU site, and also sees big advantages to the new development.

"To have people on hand who are in the same position or have been through that situation is very very valuable in helping you get past challenges," he said.

The RAU believes it will increase its contribution to the regional economy by 50% over the next five years if the village is built. That contribution is currently £52m.

A planning application will be submitted later in the year.

Source:
Online/GFMM

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